Interchangeable post office box construction



Aug. 7, 1951 D. BECKER INTERCHANGEABLE POST OFFICE BOX CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-SheetI l Filed Jan. 18, i950 l, A. KQ

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INTERCHANGEABLE POST OFFICE BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. f18', 1950 3 Shees-Sheet 2 rfvemlar D. BECKER INTERCHANGEABLE POST OFFICE BOX CONSTRUCTION Aug. 7, 1951 's sheets-shewu s Filed Jan. 18, 1950 Patented Aug. 7, 1951 I NTERCHANGEABLE POST OFFICE BOX CONSTRUCTION David Becker, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as-

signor to Rubenstein Bros. Company, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of Quebec Application January 18, 1950, Serial No. 139,217 In Canada October 22, 1949 Introduction The present invention relates to interchangeable units or boxes capable of interconnection to provide a multiple unit construction and more particularly to an interchangeable post oice lock box capable of being interconnected to provide a multiple unit post oflice lock box construction.

Applicants development Accordingly, the present invention is an interchangeable sheet metal post oice lock box that in the basic form comprises a base, side walls extending upwardly from the base at each side, a

door frame spanning the box at the front, at`

least one door hingedly connected to the frame, a lock on each door, means whereby the lock may be opened from the interior of the box, and loeating and positioning means on the top and bottom of each box whereby the boxes may be interconnected vertically and horizontally to provide a multi-unit lock box construction of any required size.

More specically, a preferred construction of a post oice lock box according to the invention.'

comprises a sheet metal box that includes a base having downwardly extending marginal side flanges and a pair of side walls secured to this base at each side, preferably by spotwelding, and to the downwardly extending flanges. walls include substantially narrow marginal anges along the top and front ends which, when the sides are assembled to the base, extend inwardly in opposed relationship from both sides of the base, members are secured to the top marginal flanges of the side walls so as to extend across the box adjacent the front and rear; This Aforms the basic structure for all forms of the box and from Claims. (Cl. 232--24) The sidey Flanged stiffening and locatingx.

so as to open parallel with the side walls. As a further alternative, two partitions are provided and three door frames are mounted across the front of the box and are secured to the anges of the partition members and the front flanges of the side walls with a door hingedly mounted in each frame as in the two door construction.

These preferred box constructions are all of equal overall outside dimensions so as to be nterchangeable in any sequence as required but it is also contemplated that other similar units might be constructed having a proportionate height or width, for example, a box having the same width but double the height.

The doors in all forms of construction are each provided with a lock, preferably of the cylinder tumbler pin type, which is mounted on the door so that the striker engages with the door frame when the box is closed, and means are provided with each lock so that the box can be opened from the interior without the use of a key, the rear portions of all boxes being left open to provide access to the boxes from the rear.

Detailed Idescription Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View in perspective elevation of a multi-unit post omce box construction embodying boxes constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view in perspective elevation illustrating in more detail three alternative forms of post office lock box constructed in accordance with the invention.

this structure several alternate forms of the box are constructed as follows:

A single door type includes a door frame extending completely across the front of the box that is secured to the front flanges of the side walls and a door is provided that is hingedly at-;

tached to the frame so as to open parallel with the base of the box. An alternative form is made up by providing a anged partition member that extends from the base to the stifening members and is positioned substantially centrally of the" Figure 3 is a section of Figure 5 along the line 3 3 illustrating in more detail the arrangement thereof.

Figure 4 is a section of the centre construction shown in Figure 2 along the line 4 4 illustrating in more detail the lock arrangement.

Figure 5 is a section of a portion of the struction of Figure 1 along the line 5 5.

Figure 6 is a section of a portion of the struction of Figure 1 along the line 6 6.

Figure 7 is a section of a portion of the struction of Figure l along the line 1 1.

Figure 8 is a section of a portion of the struction along the line 8 8.

With particular reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, a section of a multi-post oice lock box construction is illustrated in the assembled condition. This construction is made up of four forms of sheet metal post oce boxes con- COD- structed in accordance with the invention, namely, type A which includes three doors that are side hinged, type B which includes two doors that are side hinged, type C which includes a single door extending across the width of the box that is Vhinged at the bottomsoas .to open horizontally, and type D which is identical to type C excepting that the side walls are double the height of the other boxes.

The basic construction of all of these boxes is identical comprising, a base Vl!) having downwardly extending flanges i2, side walls I4 that include inwardly extending upper flanges IB and front flanges i8, and a pair of flanged stiflening and locating members 20. Preferably, these members are spot welded together to form the basic structure, the unflanged marginal edge of the side walls i4 being welded to the baseflange i2 at each side with the members 20 welded to the upper flanges i5 so as to extend across the base in spaced apart relationship adjacent the front `and rea-r of the box.

The iianged members 25 are slightly shorter in length than the width of the base l so that c the flanges I5 of the side walls i4 extend beyond the members 2i] at each side suiciently to accommodate a double thickness of material, namely, the lower margin of the side wall I4 and the flange i2 of a similar box when they are mounted one above the other. This allows `the boxes to vbe nested vertically one on top of the other and as the end anges 22 of the members 25 are each provided with an opening 23 and the lower marginal edges of ,the side walls lli and the flanges l2 of the base include U.

` frame 3) as indicated at 33 (see Figure '5) so as to open outwardly in a horizontal direction and a pair of folding supporting lever arms 36 are connected between the door 32 and the frame 3!! so as to support the door 32 substantially parallel with the base I l) when the door is in the open position. The door 32 includes a Vrecessed opening 45 adapted to frame a suitable identification plate secured from the inner face of the door and a lock 42 is mounted on the door so that the striker engages the rear of the frame 30 as shown in Figure 8. The lock 42 is of the pin tumbler cylinder type and the striker 44 is spring mounted and is provided with a pin 46 xtending from the lock casing i8 so that the striker lili can be withdrawn from the interior of the box without the key. The lock casing 48 is designed specically for the purpose having a wedge shaped rear surface 49 so as to allow mail to be withdrawn from the box without catching on the lock.

ln the second box construction illustrated in Figure 2, namely, type 13, a anged partition member 5! is mounted centrally of `the base I and is secured to the base i2 and the stiiening members 25 so as to divide the box into two A pair of door frames 52 are I8 and v centr-ally to the front flanges of the partition member 5D. A door 54 having a recessed front opening 55 is side hinged to each of the frames 52 and locks 56 having strikers 58 are mounted on each door so that the striker 58 engages with the frame 52 when the door is locked, see Figure Y4. The strikers 58 are ,spring biased and are each provided with an outwardly .extending pin l'so that they can be opened from the interior of the box.

The other construction illustrated in Figure 2, namely, type A/is essentially the same as type B with the exception that two partition members 50 are provided and are arranged so that Ythe box is divided into three separate compartments.

In this arrangement three door frames 5i! are provided and are `secured to the side wall front flanges I8 and to the front flanges of the partition members 50. A door 62 having a recessed opening 63 is side hinged to each of the door frames Si] and locks 56, similar to those used in the B type of box, are mounted on each door so as to have the strikers 58 engage with the frames 60.

The post oillce lock box constructions A, B, vand C being constructed mainly of common basic parts, are all of equal overall outside dimensions so that they are interchangeable in any sequence desired.

The remaining post ofce lock box type D illustrated in the multiple unit assembly of Figure l is simil-ar in construction to type C as previously described. The only diierence is that the side walls .H4 are twice the height of the side walls I4 used in the other constructions. Thisallows the unit D to be interchangeable, in that two boxes of type A, B, or C can be yremoved vand replaced by a single box type .D" Yin any sequence desired. For example, a preferred size `for the present boxes A, B, 0, is 12 inches wide by f51/2 inches high by 14 inches deep, with the box D being 12 inches by 11 inches by 14 inches deep.

In the preferred constructions illustrated the door frames and doors are all of die case metal construction. The bevelled marginal edges and recessed identification plate openings of the doors and the hinge sections on both parts are formed in the casting process so that the frames and doors are readily interchangeable. The locks and identication plates are also interchangeable and are mounted on the various doors so that they can be easily removed from the interior of the box and changed for service or replacement.

On assembly, the various boxes A, B, "C, D, are assembled one on top of the other in the required sequence and are secured together vertically with suitable screws as previously described. The assembled vertical units are then placed side by side and suitable bolts inserted through openings 10 provided in all the side walls I4 soas to secure the vertical units together horizontally as is shown in Figure 3. Preferably in installation as shown in Figure 1, a frame work E is provided that is adapted to surround the desired multiple unit construction so that the assembled boxes serve as a partition between the post oflice employees and customers with the open ends of all the boxes facing inwardly so as to provide access to Aeach base from the rear.

It `will be understood that other sizes of post o'filce lock boxes could be made within the scope of the invention'and still remain interchangeable with the constructions described. This could be laccomplished by making such alternative boxes in proportionate sizes, for example, double the width so as to be interchangeable with more than one standard size box.

I claim:

1. An interchangeable sheet metal post office lock box structure adapted for vertical and horizontal interconnection with adjoining boxes of the same construction, comprising, a base having on each side margin a downwardly extending side flange, a side wall adjoining each side of the base and having a portion overlapping said side iiange and secured thereto, each side wall including an inwardly extending upper marginal flange and an inwardly extending front marginal flange, a pair of flanged stiiening plates extending between the side walls at the front and rear of the box, each stiffening plate including a base mounted on the upper marginal flanges of the side walls but spaced from the outside edges of said flanges, each stifening plate including a front upwardly vextending flange, a back upwardly extending flange and end flanges extending from a point adjacent to one of said up- Wardly extending flanges to a point spaced from said other upwardly extending flange thereby leaving a gap unllanged, the side walls formed at their lower margins with slots, the said end nanges formed with openings, the slots being adapted to register with openings in the end flanges of the stiiening plates of the box below, the openings being adapted to register with slots in the side walls of a box above, at least one door frame secured to said side wall front anges and a door mounted on said door frame, openings in the side walls adapted to register with openings in the wall of the boxes beside it, said box being adapted to nest on a similar box underneath it and to be nested with a similar box above it and to be connected to similar boxes at each side, the lower margin of each side Wall of the box being adapted to be connected to the end flanges of the stifemng plates of the next lower box, each side wall of the box being adapted to be connected to the side Wall of horizontally adjoining boxes, the box also being adapted to be connected by the end flanges of its stiiening plates to the lower margin of the side walls of the box above it.

2. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end flanges of said stiffening plates are spaced inwardly from the outer surfaces of said side wall a distance equal to the combined thickness of said side wall and said base side flange.

3. An interchangeable sheet metal post oiiice lock box as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single door is hinged to the bottom of said frame and there are folding support members between said door and frame adapted to support said door substantially parallel with said base when said door 1s open.

4. An interchangeable sheet metal post office lock box as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a flanged partition member disposed centrally of said box base and extending parallel to said walls between said base and said stiffening plates, said partition member having a base, and side and end flanges extending from said base, a pair of door frames secured to said side wall front flanges and one of said partition end flanges, each of said frames extending substantially one half the width of said box, and a door hingedly mounted to each of said door frames so as to open parallel with said side walls.

5. An interchangeable sheet metal post office box as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are two flanged partition members positioned in equally spaced apart relationship on said box base and extending parallel to said side walls between said base and said stiffening plates, each of said partition members having a base and side and end flanges extending from said base, three door frames secured to said side wall end flanges and said partition end flanges, each of said door frames extending substantially one third of the width of the box, and a door hingedly mounted in each frame so as to open parallel with said side Walls.

DAVID BECKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS .Number Name Date 825,503 Zylstra July 10, 1906 1,612,335 Wilhelm Dec. 28, 1926 1,629,620 Harmony May 24, 1927 1,632,734 Hammer June 14, 1929 1,735,379 Content Nov. 12, 1929 1,750,339 Wood Mar. 11, 1930 

